Chorizo a la ‘arroz al horno’

Continuing the chorizo theme, lets take a moment to admire some fine specimens of the fresh variety…

These sausages need to be cooked and end up with a much softer texture than the dried/smoked ones. In Spain and Portugal they are available just about everywhere.

This recipe is heavily based on the Spanish arroz al horno (baked rice), although I have skipped a few steps and ingredients – like fried potatoes, baking tomatoes, more meat and morcilla sausage, which I like, but the rest of the family do not.

Now is the time to take a moment to present to you one of my all time favorite rices. Sticky/gluttonous rice in Asia was my one discovery in this department (remember the delicious sticky rice I made in Bali). This baby is another one.

Bomba rice is short grain and is grown in an area not far from here. Due to its more demanding cultivation it almost went instinct, but thankfully, this great injustice to food lovers like me, never happened. Why is it so good? It always cooks perfectly and ends up in beautifully separated grains, which are not dry, but soft and creamy at the same time. I trust it so much, that while making sushi for my daughter’s birthday and ruining yet another batch of sushi rice, I turned to my trusty Bomba and it saved me. Love it!

You most likely don’t have it, sorry, but from what I read, you can get similar effect with sushi/japanese rice which you wash well, dry and use as per this recipe. If you try this, let me know how it goes.

Next the stock. This is important, as the taste of the final result will be influenced by it. I use a meat home style fully natural one in a box. The main ingredients are: chicken, beef, potatoes, cabbage, chickpeas and celery. It has a nice creamy look and a very delicate flavour – not strong at all.

I think beef will be too strong, so pork or chicken might be a better choice. Unless of course you have special skills in stock making, which is the best option.

Another favorite ingredient of mine is the Pimenton de La Vera a wonderful paprika with a deep smokey flavour that has a D.O. protection and can only be made in La Vera. I also add in the vinegary paprika paste I bought in Portugal, but it is not essential and I am not sure if it really adds anything.

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Enough with the blabbing, lets get cooking.

Brown the sausages a bit and toss them in your baking dish. I use a terracotta Spanish cazuela, which I also have a soft spot for.

Next, saute some onion in the same pan in the left over oil from the chorizos.

When the onion is softened and starts to brown add the paprika. When fragrant, add the rice. Saute and add a bit more oil if needed.

After 1-2 min, toss the rice mixture with the chorizo.

Add the chickpeas.

Here comes time for the stock.

Mix.

This will ensure that the rice is on the bottom, then the chickpeas and sausages on top. No crunchy uncooked rice, although I am sure that Bomba rice will stand up to that challenge too.

Slide into the preheated to 200 degrees C until the liquid is absorbed – for me that is about 20-30min.

*Here are some options: I have cooked this in a wok on the stove top, covered with a metal serving plate (worked great); it is delicious if after you take it out of the oven you throw on it chopped up fresh tomatoes and plenty of parsley and fluff it through.

I have not had a chance to stock up on fresh herbs, so for me it was hot sauce, yoghurt and a long grind of white pepper.

One of the benefits of being in Spain is in having constant, wide varied and uninterrupted access to that delicious thing called chorizo. Porky goodness accompanied by the mouth tingling … Continue reading →

4 Comments

I like the simpleness of this recipe unlike that arroz a la Valenciana my Aunt always cook, well that dish is always present in our gatherings, and I just can’t stand the look of it. The taste is not that bad, but still, it’s a mixture of hundreds of ingredients! Well it’s a great post, and congratulations that your family loved it! ;)

25 March, 2013

Snapping Blabber

Shirley, does it have a lot of different meats as well?
I liked all the traditional Spanish dishes we had the opportunity to taste, but my kids preferred this simple version more.

26 March, 2013

Shirley

yes! and also shrimp! though some times she considers my being allergic to shrimp so everybody could taste it. but still,.. for me, it’s “the simpler, the better”

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Child of communism in a land where bananas were a luxury winter item, I ended up scarred for life and with authority issues. After living on three continents, having three children, right now I am in the thirdfourth fifth year of traveling around the World with my family. Join me.